Chapter 1229: Why would they come all the way here to attack a broken planet just for the sake of us slaves?

Four hours later, the main industrial zone of Aurelia was completely destroyed.

Horus listened to the casualty report.

"We have seven dead and twelve severely wounded. The Alien army... confirmed dead is about eighty percent. Civilian deaths are about ninety percent."

Horus whistled.

"Those idiots, did they think they were safe hiding in the factories?"

The Adjutant hesitated for a moment.

"Sir, we also found quite a few Human slaves, most of them still alive."

A glimmer of light flashed in Horus's eyes.

"Rescue them and send them away. Let those slaves tell those who come after that the Xiuluo Holy Star Alliance will not abandon its own kin."

"Yes."

Horus looked at the city still burning beneath his feet and muttered to himself.

"Aurelia. Now it's a pile of scrap metal."

"That idiot Falkus thought industrial power could protect him? He forgot that industrial power is only useful when someone is protecting it. Without an army, a factory is just a target."

Corinsis Star.

The surface of this planet was covered in research institutions and laboratories.

When the news of the surrender arrived, the Corinthis Academy of Sciences was holding an emergency meeting.

Presiding over the meeting was the Chief Scientist, Zeno Corinthis.

"Surrender?"

Zeno shook his head.

"What do those politicians understand? They only know how to kneel, how to compromise, and how to give our achievements away to the enemy for nothing."

He stood up, walked to the Holographic Star Map, and pulled up a file.

"This is the new weapon we have been developing for the past three years. The Psionic Amplifier can allow ordinary soldiers to possess the ability to fight against Psionics. The Spatial Folding Shield can withstand the bolter rounds of Space Marines. The Mental Disruptor can throw the enemy's communication and command systems into chaos."

He turned around to face the scientists present.

"With these weapons, we can make those Alien Races pay a heavy price. They will find that Corinsis is not to be trifled with. They will find that the power of technology is more terrifying than brute force."

The scientists looked at each other, their eyes flickering with complex light.

"Doctor Zeno, are we really going to resist? The Capital Star has already surrendered..."

"Surrender is their business."

Zeno interrupted him.

"Corinsis is Corinsis. We have our own choices. I propose that Corinsis declares independence. We do not recognize the surrender, and we do not accept the rule. We will use the power of technology to prove that the Fengqi are not weaklings."

There was silence in the Meeting Room for a few seconds.

Then, a young scientist raised his hand.

"I support Doctor Zeno! We have one hundred and thirty-seven new patents, three thousand top scientists, and fifteen secret laboratories. Even if we can't win, we have the capital to negotiate!"

Another scientist also stood up.

"I support it too! Let them know that Corinsis is not to be trifled with!"

More and more scientists raised their hands until more than half had done so.

Zeno nodded with satisfaction.

"Good. From today on, Corinsis is independent. We will let those Alien Races know that the power of technology is more powerful than an army."

As the news spread, all of Corinsis fell into a state of fanatical scientific research and war preparation.

Scientists began testing new weapons, engineers worked overtime to produce prototypes, and students were also mobilized to participate in auxiliary work.

The lights in the laboratories never went out at night, and countless complex data jumped across the holographic screens.

"Doctor Zeno!"

A young researcher rushed into the office excitedly.

"The Psionic Amplifier test was a success! Our test subject successfully resisted the attack of a Psionic!"

Zeno smiled.

"Good! Let the production lines start mass production. Those Alien Races will soon know that their psionics are useless in front of us."

Three days later, Ferrus's fleet arrived in the orbit of Corinsis.

The Fengqi soldiers on the Orbital Defense Platform were preparing to activate those "advanced weapons" when they discovered a line of text suddenly popping up on the screen:

【System has been compromised. All weapons offline.】

The Commander widened his eyes and hammered the keyboard frantically.

"Impossible! Our firewall is of the highest level! How could it be compromised?"

A cold voice came through the Communication Device.

"Highest level? Just by you lot?"

The next second, all the weapons on the defense platform exploded simultaneously.

Zeno stood in the underground laboratory, his three eyes widened to the limit, watching the carnage on the surveillance screen.

"This... this is impossible... our firewall... our defense system..."

A scientist rushed in, his face deathly pale.

"Doctor Zeno! All weapon systems have been compromised! The production lines have also been taken over! Our new weapons... not a single one was used!"

Zeno's legs went weak, and he collapsed into his chair.

"How could this be... how could this be..."

Before he could finish his sentence, the wall of the laboratory suddenly exploded.

After the smoke and dust dispersed, Ferrus stood in the ruins.

"You are Zeno? That fool who thought he could use technology to oppose us?"

Zeno opened his mouth, wanting to say something, but could not make a sound.

Ferrus walked up to him and looked down at him.

"You thought technology could protect you, but you forgot, technology becomes obsolete."

Zeno's three eyes were filled with despair.

"I... I didn't know... I thought..."

"You thought."

Ferrus interrupted him.

"That is your biggest problem. You believe too much in your own cleverness and look down too much on your enemies. You think you are the smartest, but in fact, you are just the stupidest, because you don't even know how stupid you are."

He raised his hand and aimed it at Zeno's forehead.

"Fool."

His finger pierced through Zeno's skull.

Three hours later, the resistance on Corinsis was completely quelled.

"Report." The Adjutant stepped forward.

"Speak."

"Approximately 150,000 surviving Humans have been found, mostly used for live experiments. Their condition is very poor, but there are still signs of life."

"Rescue them. Use the best medical equipment. Then destroy all those experimental data, except for the part that can prove their crimes."

"Yes."

Vasi Kereleiya, the mining center of the Fengqi Star Alliance.

This is a desolate planet, with its surface covered in huge open-pit mines and smelting facilities.

But there are three things here.

Ore production, the cruelty of the overseers, and the number of Human slaves.

When the news of the surrender arrived, the mining supervisor of Vasi Kereleiya was enjoying dinner in his luxury villa.

The supervisor's name was Maximus Corellia; he managed the seven largest mines on this planet, with two million overseers and guards under his command, as well as over thirty million Human slaves.

"Surrender?"

Maximus laughed, and that laughter was full of mockery.

"Those cowards on the Capital Star surrendered, what does that have to do with me?"

He cut off a piece of roasted beast meat, stuffed it into his mouth, and said while chewing.

"As long as I want, I can make this planet independent, continue to mine ore, and sell it to anyone willing to pay a high price."

His deputy asked cautiously.

"Supervisor, those Alien Races... they might come to attack..."

Maximus laughed loudly.

"Attack? Come to this crappy planet? There is nothing here, only ore and slaves. What are they coming for? To grab ore? Are their own mines not enough? Or to save those slaves? Those Alien Races don't have such kind hearts. They only attack valuable planets. Vasi Kereleiya? Not worth mentioning."

He picked up his wine glass and drained it in one gulp.

"Just wait, they will soon bypass us and go attack other planets. By then, we can continue living our lives and continue making our money. War? That is other people's war. We are just businessmen."

As the news spread, the overseers in the mines let down their guard.

They opened the wine cellar, took out the treasured fine wine, and drank and made merry in the villa all night long.

They discussed future business, discussed how to sell ore to the highest bidder, and discussed how to continue exploiting those slaves to make more money.

Meanwhile, in the underground slave quarters, the Human slaves were whispering in the dark.

"I heard the Xiuluo Holy Star Alliance has attacked."

An old man said in a low voice, his two eyes flickering with the light of hope in the darkness.

"Will they come to save us?"

"Don't dream."

A young man smiled bitterly.

"How could they come specifically to attack a crappy planet for us slaves? We aren't any important figures."

"But... aren't they the Xiuluo Holy Star Alliance? Shouldn't they save their own compatriots?"

"Compatriots?"

The young man shook his head.

"What kind of compatriots are we in their eyes? We are just pathetic wretches who were abandoned and forgotten long ago."

In the darkness, countless people fell into Silence.

Only the singing of the reveling overseers drifted in occasionally.